The present invention relates to an improved sprung hinge for supporting panel-like closure elements, particularly for elements which, in passing from the closed configuration to the open configuration and vice versa, rotate about a substantially horizontal or inclined hinge axis.
Such hinge can be used, for example, to determine the snap opening and closure of doors or leaves of pieces of furniture, caravan cabinets and bins.
Sprung hinges are known which have a double articulated quadrilateral element and two enclosed springs being arranged in series and acting on opposite parts of each one of said two quadrilateral elements.
The two articulated quadrilateral elements share a first lever and a second lever and their base elements are respectively a coupling plate, adapted to be fixed to a fixed component of the piece of furniture (cabinet, bin), and a plate for fixing to the panel-like element.
The first lever is constituted by an elongated body, at one end of which a removable support is coupled by interlocking; the end of the enclosure of one of the two springs acts on said support and the opposite end of the enclosure is anchored to the coupling plate.
The element for articulation between the support and the end of the enclosure is constituted by a pivot on which the shaped bottom of the enclosure engages by rotation.
These hinges are not devoid of drawbacks, including the fact that the first lever is formed in two separate parts, i.e. a body and a support which interlock one another so as to constitute a rigid assembly, and have to be manufactured and machined separately and precisely, consequently increasing production times and costs.
Another drawback of conventional hinges consists in that the element for articulation between the support and the spring enclosure is constituted by a pivot which has to be manufactured, machined and treated separately from the structure of the support and has to be riveted on assembly, and this further increases the production costs of the hinges.
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above-noted drawbacks of conventional hinges, by providing an improved sprung hinge for supporting panel-like closure elements which allows to simplify the manufacture of the elements that constitute it, to eliminate the execution of secondary treatments and machinings of said elements, and to reduce production and assembly times and costs.
Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a sprung hinge which is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and relatively low in cost.
This aim and this and other objects which will become better apparent are achieved by the present improved sprung hinge for supporting panel-like closure elements, of the type comprising a first articulated quadrilateral and a second articulated quadrilateral which share a first lever and a second lever and at least first and second elastic means arranged in series which act on mutually opposite parts of each one of said quadrilaterals, characterized in that said first lever is formed monolithically.